Expert Spotlight Casey Reason How can teams within a PLC be enhanced with virtual collaboration? If teams within a PLC become skilled at using strategies of virtual collaboration, they address two huge challenges for schools: lack of time and lack of innovation. Time is always an issue. Even established PLCs find that scheduling team time is a neverending logistical challenge. Through virtual collaboration, school districts can establish digital spaces where team members can contribute asynchronously. The opportunity for innovation comes when team members can jump into their virtual PLC anytime. If one member is a morning person and she’s struck with an idea at 5 a.m., she can log in and engage. The utilization of virtual collaboration allows the work of teams to expand and take advantage of the natural learning rhythms of every team member. How can virtual collaboration in schools improve our results? Despite our ability to connect, schools still work with far too many practices that support isolation. PLCs encourage schools to break down their walls and to give teachers the chance to share their best practices.
Thanks to the technological capacities and the strategies associated with virtual collaboration, those best practices can be shared not only throughout the building, but also throughout the district, and then perhaps throughout the county, the country, and even from one continent to the next.
I’m confident that digital enhancements and virtual collaboration will make the already successful PLC process even more prosperous in the future.”
What do you hope educators will get out of your latest book, Creating the Anywhere, Anytime Classroom? My new book, written with Lisa Reason and Crystal Guiler, helps educators think differently about digital learning opportunities. It outlines how to keep learning and thoughtful pedagogy first, followed by the thoughtful utilization of technology to enhance what we
already do well. Secondly, the book offers practical, Monday morning– ready strategies to improve the learning experience for students in their e-learning, blended, or digitally enhanced classroom. It was a really fun book to write, and I’ve enjoyed using it to work with some really dynamic educators all over the world! What’s next for you in your work to support educators? As the director for the Center for Educational Partnerships and Innovation at the University of Findlay, I have a great staff of professors and other partners dedicated to advancing the work of PLCs, digital learning, and collaboration. We’ve already seen some great PLC research come from our efforts and have partnered with one of the most successful PLC districts in the nation to offer graduate learning experiences—all made possible thanks to the use of technology! After several decades of implementation, I’m confident that digital enhancements and virtual collaboration will make the already successful PLC process even more prosperous in the future.
Order your copy of Creating the Anywhere, Anytime Classroom today.
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